Cloud services such as software applications and/or computing resources provided over the internet, an intranet or other communications network are increasingly widespread in many domains. For example, in the fields of document management, image processing, passport control systems, database access, information retrieval and others.
Many different service providers exist with different types of service provider nodes in the network using different communications protocols and equipment. End users typically register with each different service provider they wish to use and may open an account with each different service provider. Communications between end user equipment and the various heterogeneous service provider nodes proceeds according to the various different communications protocols of the service provider equipment. Typically authentication and authorization processes are implemented using technology at the service provider nodes.
The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of known cloud services equipment and processes.